Manufacturers reacting badly to SAP’s enforced support price hike

The UK & Ireland SAP Users Group is urging “SAP to reconsider this mandatory price rise so that organisations not requiring the extra level of support provided in Enterprise Support do not have to pay for features they do not require”. It’s also encouraging users “to examine the potential value of the offering and to contact SAP to provide their feedback on this price increase”. In a statement, the organisation says: “The mandatory nature of this change, along with the increase in cost, has received hugely negative feedback from our membership to date. In real terms, this is a 29.4% increase in costs over the next four years for existing SAP customers. “As a user group, we understand that if SAP is to provide more comprehensive support, then it has to charge more for it. However, many of our members may not want, or need, this extra level of support and therefore are reacting negatively to having a new support product, and the associated increase in costs, forced upon them. In addition … we are sceptical that the Enterprise Support offering is sized appropriately and we remain concerned on its suitability for many SMEs. “We have made, and will continue to make, representations to senior management within SAP with whom we have regular contact. Further developments will be reported back to our membership in due course.”